Continual Sorrow

Rom 9:2  That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. 

Imagine….great heaviness and continual sorrow in our hearts.

Yet we are Christians and we are told to count it all joy when we fall into different temptations.

Jas_1:2  My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations

Joy and sorrow.  This is the life of a Christian. It is the life of our Savior.

Our Savior wasn't all doom and gloom. 

Joh 15:9  As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. 

Joh 15:10  If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. 

Joh 15:11  These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. 

Joh 15:12  This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 

Joh 15:13  Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 

Joy.

Luk 10:21  In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight. 

Rejoicing.

Jesus was not void of happiness, and neither should we be.  Likewise, Jesus was not without sadness, and weeping. 

In all things Jesus was ever mindful of the will of His Father, the will He was in complete agreement with. He created us with the ability to experience emotions. Did He want us to experience the emotions that are detrimental to us? No. He didn't want us to take on the burden of knowing evil, beyond the realization of its existence as something to be shunned. We chose to learn of evil in all its depths. When Satan said this--

Gen 3:4  And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 

Gen 3:5  For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. 

He told Eve that if she ate that forbidden fruit her eyes - her understanding- would be opened and she would be like god- she would know good and evil. 

Up to that point she didn't know evil at all, this evil thing was a complete mystery. She did know this--

Gen 2:17  But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. 

Now, if I told you that you would die, and you knew nothing of death you'd want a bit of clarification, yes? God would NOT give a command void of comprehension.  He impressed upon Adam the knowledge of death as something to be shunned. He told him that he shall NOT eat of that tree. He told Him it was the tree of KNOWLEDGE of GOOD and EVIL. 

We all know what it is like to be told not to do something, and then we do it, and later we wish we had listened and not done what we'd been told not to do.  Adam had NOTHING but good surrounding Him, all His needs were met completely. Eve was the same, all her needs were met.  Satan tempted her into believing that she needed more than what she currently possessed. This knowledge of the thing called evil and the fact knowing of evil would make her something more than what she was penetrated something inside her and she let the temptation become conceived in herself.

God the Father and God the declared Son did NOT want us to know evil and the things that evil brings with it- but we chose otherwise.  As the Son took on flesh in that flesh He knew the sorrow of the flesh in the way we know it and His sorrow was great.   Is it any wonder the Apostle had continual sorrow? Is it any wonder that we too have continual sorrow, an underlying sorrow that will lie beneath any joy we may have.

Living without Christ as Christians longing for His return is amazing because we KNOW He will return for us, and be in us and love us right now, but it is still LIVING in a world filled with HORROR, with EVIL beyond imagining. We ARE pilgrims here, we are longing for a BETTER WORLD we know exists in Christ.

Yes, we continually sorrow as we continually HOPE.

Please, Lord, come soon! Please!

Let us be found in YOU now and forever!

Sinners, of whom I am chief.

Were the Apostles filled with the Holy Spirit?

Act 1:24  And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, 

Act 1:25  That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place. 

Act 1:26  And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. 

Act 2:1  And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 

Act 2:2  And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 

Act 2:3  And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 

Act 2:4  And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

The answer to the above question is yes. The Apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit.

The Apostles were leading lives in the Spirit, they were Spiritual Men.

Were their lives easy because they were Spiritual Men?

Paul speaking--

2Co 11:24  Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. 

2Co 11:25  Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; 

2Co 11:26  In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 

2Co 11:27  In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. 

2Co 11:28  Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. 

2Co 11:29  Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? 

2Co 11:30  If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities. 

2Co 11:31  The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not. 

2Co 11:32  In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me: 

2Co 11:33  And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands. 

2Co 6:3  Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: 

2Co 6:4  But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, 

2Co 6:5  In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; 

2Co 6:6  By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, 

2Co 6:7  By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, 

2Co 6:8  By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; 

2Co 6:9  As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; 

2Co 6:10  As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. 

2Co 6:11  O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged. 

2Co 6:12  Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels. 

2Co 6:13  Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as unto my children,) be ye also enlarged. 

Rom 7:15  For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. 

Rom 7:16  If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. 

Rom 7:17  Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 

Rom 7:18  For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 

Rom 7:19  For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 

Rom 7:20  Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 

Rom 7:21  I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. 

Rom 7:22  For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 

Rom 7:23  But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 

Rom 7:24  O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 

Rom 7:25  I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. 

The Apostles lives were FAR from easy because they were Spiritual Men. They didn't have easy, carefree lives. Yes, they trusted in the Lord, yet they remained men, they did NOT become Gods. If we are looking to become something unique and special, with amazing powers to live a spiritual life in some inexplicable way then we are being deceived!  If we are waiting for some miraculous change to take place in ourselves so that we are no longer ourselves, we are being fooled. We will forever be who we are and we can be no other than who we are in our personalities, in our essential being. The things we despise in ourselves and consider unspiritual, unseemly, ungodly are the things we need to pray on and relinquish, to fight the war upon without ceasing. We must seek forgiveness often never getting to a place we believe we no longer are in need of forgiveness. Being a Spiritual Man is NOT asking to be someone else, someone alien to us, but rather it is asking to be exactly who we are as well as a full on Christian warrior in the spiritual battle being raged all about us.

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'A Christian must be delivered from every misconception with respect to spiritual life. He often surmises, before he enters the spiritual sphere, that if only he could be as spiritual as his brother how happy he would be! He visualizes the spiritual odyssey as a most happy affair; and so he contemplates spending his days in perfect joy. Little does he know that the opposite is the truth. The spiritual path does not yield any enjoyment to the person himself; it is instead a life of daily fighting. To remove warfare from a spiritual life is to render it unspiritual. Life in the spirit is a suffering way, filled with watching and laboring, burdened by weariness and trial, punctuated by heartbreak and conflict. It is a life utterly outpoured entirely for the kingdom of God and lived in complete disregard for one’s personal happiness. When a Christian is carnal he lives towards himself and for his own “spiritual” enjoyment.'  The Spiritual Man - by Watchman Nee

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Deliver us, Lord from every single misconception we have about what it means to be Yours. Help us to be YOURS wholly, fully YOURS. Work in us, do all for us we cannot ever do. Save us from all that is in us which would keep us from belonging to You! We would be YOURS! All though Jesus Christ our LORD our SAVIOR now and forever!

AMEN.

Spiritual Warfare.

Resisting the devil is not easy.  Those who are not engaged in the battle are already won and will find very little warring against them. Those who do not fight the spiritual fight can scarcely comprehend the fight as a reality in others. Those who do fight the spiritual fight can understand just how important it is for us to resist the devil- we know that resisting the devil is a REAL thing, not something manufactured by actors on tv and in movies, or authors in fictional books.  We are in a battle and in our battle the war is for our spirit and its suppression. Satan will take control over our spirit if we do not engage in the battle, if we do not resist, if we do not avail ourselves of the weapons and protection given to us by God. God WILL provide all we need to live for Him, may we by HIS grace and mercy, comprehend what He has provided and utilize His gifts to us.

In His love!

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'How shall we resist? With the Word of God which is the Sword of the Holy Spirit. As a believer receives God’s Word it becomes “spirit and life” to him. Hence he can employ this as his weapon of resistance. A heavenly believer knows how to use the Word of God advantageously to break down the enemy’s lie. Even now a battle is raging in the world of the spirit. Though unobserved by the eyes of the flesh, it is sensed and proven by those who are seeking heavenly progress.'  The Spiritual Man by Watchman Nee

Joh 6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. 

Jas 4:7  Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 

1Pe 5:8  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 

1Pe 5:9  Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. 

Rev 12:11  And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. 

Eph 6:11  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Eph 6:17  …and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God

Being strong in the Lord.

How to wrestle against spiritual wickedness.  Pray INCESSANTLY.  Do we? Really? Do we? Short of locking ourselves away in a private room how do we pray  incessantly? Prayer as a way of life, does it lack something? When we imagine that prayer must be on the knees, in a special time set aside, we can't imagine praying incessantly. There are different ways of praying. Remember Jesus telling His disciples after they tried to release a possessed child of the demon possessing them that they had to fast and pray to release that kind? There is praying together, and there is praying privately. Prayer is something we have in our arsenal of spiritual weapons.  We need to make our weapons real to us and we need to be…

…strong in the Lord, it is a necessity.

'A Christian must understand how to wrestle against the assailant with his spirit. Otherwise he cannot detect how the enemy will attack or discern how God will direct him to fight. But if he walks by the spirit he learns how to pray incessantly therein against the wicked powers. And with each battle his inner man waxes that much stronger. He comes to realize that by applying the law of the spirit he not only can overcome sin but also Satan. From that part of the Scriptures in which the Apostle touches on spiritual warfare we can readily estimate how important strength is in such conflict. Before he mentions the problem of spiritual warfare (Eph. 6.11-18), Paul first exhorts his readers to “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might” (v.10). Where should there be this strength of which he speaks? Paul tells us in Chapter 3: “strengthened with might through his Spirit in the inner man” (v.16).'  The Spiritual Man - Watchman Nee

We win spiritual battles through prayer. 

We become stronger spiritually through prayer.

Let us PRAY!

Eph 6:10  Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 

Eph 3:16  That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man

Eph 6:11  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 

Eph 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 

Eph 6:13  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 

Eph 6:14  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 

Eph 6:15  And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 

Eph 6:16  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 

Eph 6:17  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 

Eph 6:18  Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints

Testing our beliefs.

'No matter how the feeling is during the moment of experience nor how the phenomenon appears or declares itself to be, believers should investigate its source. The charge of 1 john 4.1 must be strictly observed: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are of God; for many false prophets have gone out into the world.” '  The Spiritual Man - Watchman Nee

We get carried away by feelings ALL the time!

Even the seemingly non-feeling, non-sappy, unemotional person gets carried away with their emotions. They have very strong emotions just not the emotions that are typical in given situations.

Those who are emotional in a typical manner have very strong emotions as well. And those considered over-emotional have extraordinarily strong emotions and no matter the person or their level emotion, those feelings can often carry us away.

We truly need to NOT believe all we witness but rather EXAMINE what we witness and make sure it is of God.

There are so many emotionally fulfilling beliefs in our world, but we should NOT seek the emotionally pleasing.

More tomorrow… today has been extremely busy.

By the grace and mercy of our LORD we will study and try the spirits so we are NOT led away by falsehoods, but kept close to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

Help us to think on the things that YOU would have us think on, Lord.

Think on these things-------   We are told what to think.  People don't like being told what to think. If I tell you to stop thinking about something, you might tell me that you will, but sometimes being told not to think about something makes us think about it more. If I tell you to think about something you might, but you also might quickly forget to think about what I told you because other things pop up in your thoughts. If God tells us to do something wouldn't it be great if we simply listened to Him?  We try, don't we? We try to try? We want to try. So often the things we think of are NOT good things. We may tend to dwell on things that make us sad, things that depress us. Or we might obsess about things that scare us. Anxiety reigns in our thoughts gone awry. Can we control our thoughts? So often it appears we cannot control our thoughts. People will take various drugs to control their thoughts, hoping to stop them from being emotionally overwhelming, distressful, painful, too much to bear. Those who have never had a problem with their thoughts may not be able to understand, but I'm not among those people. I HAVE had a thought control problem and from time to time it creeps up and tries to take over again.  I know others who also will start thinking of things and spiral downward into those things that only make them upset. I've told others to try to stop thinking of those things and fill their mind with other, better things, and even as I tell them this I know how hard it is. We can't give up trying though, can we?

God tells us the best things to think of…

Php 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 

Php 4:9  Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. 

True things-    Consistent with fact or reality; not false or erroneous.(Dict. Def.)

Honest things-   Honest definition, honorable in principles, intentions, and actions; upright and Fair things-  An honest person. (Dict. Def.)

Just things-   Guided by truth, reason, justice, and fairness (Dict. Def.)

Pure things-   Having no moral failing or guilt:  (Dict. Def.)

Lovely things-  Of a great moral or spiritual beauty (Dict. Def.)

Virtuous things- Moral excellence; goodness; righteousness. (Dict. Def.)

Praiseworthy things-  The act of expressing approval or admiration; commendation; laudation (Dict. Def.)

Thinking TRUE things, not the things made up in our minds, things we imagine, but things that are reality. If we are prone to thinking of things that aren't real we open ourselves up to a lot of trouble. God would have us think on GOOD things.  In the world we live in today it's not easy, is it? The stuff that floods our minds on a daily basis is often very far from lovely, pure, fair, honest, pure, true, just or praiseworthy. We need to think on CHRIST JESUS our SAVIOR and the HOPE of the eternity He came to bring to us. He came to bring us HOPE not to scare us, not to bring us despair. He wants us to think on Him, He wants to live in us because HE IS OUR HOPE, truly our ONLY HOPE in a world filled with so much darkness. Hope found outside of Him is false hope.

Please, Lord, please help us to find all our hope in YOU so we may think on lovely things- You and the Hope You give to us, a hope that goes far beyond this world, this short life of ours.

All in the name of our SAVIOR, Jesus Christ our Lord!

AMEN!

Think on...

Php 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 

Php 4:9  Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. 

True.    Consistent with fact or reality; not false or erroneous.(Dict. Def.)

Honest.   Honest definition, honorable in principles, intentions, and actions; upright and fair: an honest person. (Dict. Def.)

Just.  Guided by truth, reason, justice, and fairness (Dict. Def.)

Pure.  Having no moral failing or guilt:  (Dict. Def.)

Lovely. Of a great moral or spiritual beauty (Dict. Def.)

Virtue.  Moral excellence; goodness; righteousness. (Dict. Def.)

Praise.  The act of expressing approval or admiration; commendation; laudation (Dict. Def.)

We are to think on things that are consistent with facts or reality, things that are honorable, upright and fair. We are to think on truth, justice, fairness, and things that have no moral failing. We are to think on spiritual beauty, of moral beauty and excellence as well as goo and righteous things. 

Do we think on these things? Or does Satan try hard to consume us with things that aren't real, or honorable, or upright, or fair. Does the evil one wish us to have our thoughts filled with immoral, guilt producing things, shunning things of goodness, of righteousness?  There is so much EVIL in this world and it comes disguised in so many ways.  We fail to see the evil because it's become so commonplace around us. When we do see it we are quickly told we are wrong that it is good. We are placated and encouraged to just ignore the evil because it's what is everywhere and so common and believed by so many- millions and millions.

More on this tomorrow by the grace and will of God. 

All through Jesus Christ our Lord, our Savior!

We shall have tribulation....

Php 4:6  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 

Php 4:7  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 

Php 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 

Php 4:9  Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. 

We long for inner peace, don't we? Peace of mind is a valuable gift. We know that the world will not have peace-

Joh_16:33  These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

We CAN have peace.

In the WORLD we will have TRIBULATION-  but…

…we are to be happy!  Why? Because Jesus Christ has overcome the WORLD!

Mat_10:34  Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

No peace on earth!

Yet we long for personal peace. Spiritual peace. Peace with God. We

Joh_14:27  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

We need JESUS' PEACE. We do NOT need the world's idea of peace.

We don't want our hearts troubled and we surely don't want to be afraid. We don't long to be anxious, worrying is something that troubles our hearts.

We need Jesus' peace!

We need to PRAY, to SUPPLICATE, to THANK GOD!  Our minds must be instant in PRAYER, instant in seeking help, instant in thanksgiving. 

Too often we let ourselves get washed away on a current of emotion and once caught in that current we find ourselves battling against the torrent of upset engulfing us.

We are instant in lashing out, in speaking our mind; a slurry of words flows out of us as we are consumed with responding to the awful situation - the tribulation- we find ourselves immersed in. We rail against injustices, slights, inconsideration, degradations, impositions and we verbally or mentally (both perhaps) give back in kind.

We come face to face with situations that bring out the worst in us and we cringe and cry out to ourselves, longing to be free from what's going on. We wish away time so that we can get to a place of safety not realizing at all that the truest place of safety is a SPIRITUAL place in Christ Jesus and His peace, a place that has no beginning and no end.  Jesus' peace is accessible at all times it will never elude us unless we neglect to --  'Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, letting our requests be made known to God'.  

Rom_12:12  Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer--

Instant in prayer. 

While Satan would have us latch immediately onto our emotional reactions-  legitimate emotional reactions- Christ would have latch on to Him in prayer so that He can guide our legitimate emotional responses to any given situation.

Instant in prayer.

Psa 55:16  As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me. 

Psa 55:17  Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice. 

Psa 62:8  Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us.

Psa 109:4  For my love they are my adversaries: but I give myself unto prayer. 

Psa 109:5  And they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love. 

Jer 29:12  Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. 

Jer 29:13  And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. 

Dan 9:17  Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord's sake. 

Dan 9:18  O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies. 

Dan 9:19  O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name. 

Luk 11:5  And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; 

Luk 11:6  For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? 

Luk 11:7  And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. 

Luk 11:8  I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth. 

Luk 11:9  And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 

Luk 11:10  For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 

Luk 11:11  If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? 

Luk 11:12  Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 

Luk 11:13  If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? 

Luk 18:1  And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; 

Luk 18:2  Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: 

Luk 18:3  And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. 

Luk 18:4  And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; 

Luk 18:5  Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. 

Luk 18:6  And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. 

Luk 18:7  And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? 

Luk 18:8  I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? 

Act 6:4  But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. 

Eph 6:18  Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; 

Eph 6:19  And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, 

Col 4:2  Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving

Col 4:12  Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. 

1Th 5:17  Pray without ceasing. 

1Th 5:18  In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 

Heb 5:7  Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; 

Heb 5:8  Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered

Jas 5:15  And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. 

Jas 5:16  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. 

1Pe 4:7  But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. 

1Jn 5:14  And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 

1Jn 5:15  And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. 

Anxieties of this life.

I'm revisiting a couple verses I studied a few days back because they are still on my heart to study.

Php 4:6  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 

Php 4:7  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 

Be careful for nothing--

Mar_4:19  And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

Luk_21:34  And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

The cares of this world and the cares of this life are obviously to be shunned. The cares of this world can choke the word of God and it becomes unfruitful. The cares of this life can make it so we are unaware of our Savior's return. Two horrific outcomes from 'caring'.  I'm so obviously not talking about having compassion- that sort of caring. 

Mar 4:19  And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. 

(CEV)  But they start worrying about the needs of this life. They are fooled by the desire to get rich and to have all kinds of other things. So the message gets choked out, and they never produce anything.

(Contemporary English Version)

(EMTV)  and the anxieties of this age, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things coming in choke out the word, and it becomes fruitless. (English Majority Version)

(ISV)  but the worries of life, the deceitful pleasures of wealth, and the desires for other things come in and choke the word so that it can't produce a crop. (International Standard Version)

(YLT)  and the anxieties of this age, and the deceitfulness of the riches, and the desires concerning the other things, entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.  (1898 Young's Literal Translation)

Anxieties of life, worries of life-  cares of life.

If we are to be careful for nothing we are truly being told we aren't to WORRYING or have ANXIETY about anything.

To know this as a truth I have to say I really do understand my fascination with these verses, with this message because I worry, I have anxieties and I know I shouldn't.  I tell myself it's my nature, it's just who I am, it's a part of me.  Yet, God's word tells me something different.

My husband is NOT a worrier as a rule and has very little- next to no anxiety. I see him in situations that would have me freaking out, panicking and he is as calm as could be. He literally sees no reason to worry about things he has no control over. 

My mother is another non-worrier, at least overtly.  I've read some of her journals and now realize that she did have worries and concerns but she never let on about them, they didn't consume her.

Being told to be careful for nothing is a message of great magnitude for me.  Instead of worrying and having anxiety I should--PRAY.

Pray. 

Is my prayer life ineffective when I pray and still worry? Am I NOT trusting God? If the peace that passes ALL understanding doesn't keep my heart and mind is it because I am not believing in Jesus Christ who gives that peace?

After that initial instruction we are told the following--

Php 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 

A list of things we are to THINK about.

Think about-

True things.

Honest things.

Just things.

Pure things.

Lovely things.

Good reported things.

Virtuous things.

Praiseworthy things.

More on this tomorrow by the grace, the mercy, the will of GOD.

I need more.

All through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior now and forever!

Amen!

When we rise to meet the Lord in the air.

Living with God always - now and forever.  Imagine it.  Imagine the day arrives and our Savior sounds the last trump and by HIS amazing grace we begin to rise off the ground and our body changes in the moment it takes to blink an eye, we have been REDEEMED!  We are rising to meet our Lord, our savior in the air!

Now stop and think- when we rise and we change- what exactly is changing in us. We have to KNOW we have been redeemed, right? But the CARNAL/FLESH nature in us is GONE. We are JOINING our Savior in a new world, a new existence. We are leaving behind ALL that is of the carnal nature but our relationship with Christ, with God the Father, with the Holy Spirit will FOLLOW still be a part of us.

There will be no sorrow as we rise into the air, but joy!

We are taking the final step into our being completely at ONE with the three Gods that long for us to be one with them in total agreement, living in pure love.

God will know us and we will know God.

Our relationship right now with our Savior matters.  How much time do we spend with God now? Seriously.  Is He really in our mind as we live?

We have been studying from the book - A Spiritual Man by Watchman Nee and doing so with our Bible in hand. We want to be spiritual men and women- children of God, followers of Jesus Christ. 

The more we read the further is seems that we will ever be how we know our Lord would have us be. We need to recognize our completely inability to do anything without God, without our Savior, without the Holy Spirit. 

Joh_8:28  Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.

Jesus did nothing of Himself, though to read of Him He did a lot, yes? We constantly talk about all our Savior did and does for us. Yet we have to realize that He did nothing without God, the declared Father as His power when He took on human flesh.  We in our human flesh can do nothing without God, the declared Father, the Savior Son, and the Holy Spirit.   Unlike Jesus who was Emmanuel - God with us, we are pure human flesh and need the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit as our spiritual power.

Mat_1:23  Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

We have no power of our own, we need to submit to God fully and pray that we live in Him and His will is done in us always.  Recognizing our dependence we rest wholly on Christ for all things.

Please, Lord as we seek to be Yours- to be spiritual men and women in You, bless us and keep us Yours! We long to hear the sound of the last trump and rise into the air to meet You. Please Lord, we would e Yours now and forever!

Acknowledging God.

Heb 4:10  For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. 

Heb 4:11  Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

Ceasing from our own works.

Is it possible at all in any way that perhaps God created the Seventh Day Sabbath so we would have an opportunity to learn to cease from our own workings and trust Him?

Remember this---

Lev 16:29  And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you: 

Lev 16:30  For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD. 

Lev 16:31  It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever. 

The Day of Atonement was a special SABBATH. People were to 'afflict' their souls and 'do no work at all'.

There is a very important lesson we need to learn about God's RESTING. 

We are to do NO WORK.

Read this--

Exo 16:14  And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground. 

Exo 16:15  And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat. 

Exo 16:16  This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents. 

Exo 16:17  And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less. 

Exo 16:18  And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating. 

Exo 16:19  And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning. 

Exo 16:20  Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them. 

Exo 16:21  And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted. 

Exo 16:22  And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses. 

Exo 16:23  And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning. 

Exo 16:24  And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein. 

Exo 16:25  And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath unto the LORD: to day ye shall not find it in the field. 

Exo 16:26  Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none. 

Exo 16:27  And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none. 

Exo 16:28  And the LORD said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws? 

Exo 16:29  See, for that the LORD hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day th

e bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day. 

Exo 16:30  So the people rested on the seventh day. 

These people were journeying in the wilderness and needed rest.  They needed spiritual rest as well as physical. The spiritual rest goes back to creation- God created the seventh day as a rest day. To teach the people God gave them manna in the verses above you know what happens.

God- needs us to rest.

God needs us to CEASE from our work.

God worked and rested, man was to follow suit, even in the garden before the fall.  Setting aside SPECIAL time for God is a must. When we OBEY the Sabbath rest we are SUBMITTING to God fully, our whole being, all of us. Admitting we need to submit on such a strict level is admitting God should be first in all things.  We can go about our lives- having our soul-self submit to our spirit-self and we are TAUGHT this on a grand level in the Sabbath.

Can we rest in God as the Sabbath rest every single day? No. We weren't intended to make every day the Sabbath. The closest a person comes to keeping the Sabbath rest every day would be if they became a preacher- but that still would NOT ever be the seventh-day rest day. We were to live our lives in God always with the spirit first, not the soul, our WORK was to be done in the spirit with God, but in working our minds would NOT be focused fully on God. In the Garden as Adam and Eve went about tending it daily  they were not RESTING in God.  They were one with God, but the time with God renewed in a very special way. The Sabbath is GOD'S command to give up ALL of ourselves to him. When we do this, when we give up ourselves to Him for that seventh day rest we are acknowledging Him as our God in a very unique way.

If we can't give ourselves up to God for the seventh day rest day - acknowledging Him wholly as our God, can we expect to give ourselves up to Him throughout all our days?

More on this tomorrow- by the GRACE and WILL of our GOD, now and forever!

In the Lord, Jesus Christ our Savior.

Amen.

Is it possible...

'As God’s Word is implanted we receive its new nature into us and are thus enabled to bear fruit. We obtain the life of the Word from the Word of life. Although the organs of the soul still remain, these organs no longer function through its power; rather, they operate by the power of God’s Word. This is “the salvation of your souls” (1 Peter 1.9).

1Pe 1:9  Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

Human nerves are rather sensitive and are easily stirred by outside stimuli. Words, manners, environments and feelings greatly affect us. Our mind engages in so many thoughts, plans and imaginations that it is a world of confusion. Our will is agitated to perform many acts according to our sundry delights. None of the organs of our soul can bring us into peace. Singly or collectively, they disturb, they confuse, they shift us around. But when our soul is in the spirit’s hand we can be released from such disturbances. The Lord Jesus implores us: “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matt. 11.29). If we are favorably inclined to yield to the Lord, to take up His yoke, and to follow Him, our soul shall not be aroused inordinately. If we learn of Him by seeing how He, when despised by men, continued to follow God’s will and not His Own, our soul shall return to tranquility. The reason for our hurt feelings lies in the fact that we are not amenable to being treated as our Lord was and are loathe to submit ourselves to the will and ordering of God.'

Excerpt from - The Spiritual Man by Watchman Nee

Mat 11:28  Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 

Jer 6:16  Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. 

Heb 4:10  For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. 

Heb 4:11  Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

Ceasing from our own works.

Is it possible at all in any way that perhaps God created the Seventh Day Sabbath so we would have an opportunity to learn to cease from our own workings and trust Him?

More on this tomorrow by the grace of God!

We need to let God-the Holy Spirit work in us.

Angels desire to comprehend our lives, why? Because we are given the Holy Spirit. We are given the Holy Spirit when we accept the Lord as our Savior seeking to live in Him. We can grieve the Holy Spirit and quench the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a God and He chooses to be our comforter, our helper, our convicting Spirit who will go to great lengths to teach us even if it means teaching us through many hardships and much suffering.   We need to be taught to trust wholly in Christ.  We need to be taught of God's love. We need to be rid of our selfishness. Our faith needs to be tried so it is purified. We need to LET the Holy Spirit work in us, He will NOT force Himself on us, not ever.

1Pe 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 

1Pe 1:4  To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 

1Pe 1:5  Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 

1Pe 1:6  Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 

1Pe 1:7  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 

1Pe 1:8  Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 

1Pe 1:9  Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. 

1Pe 1:10  Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: 

1Pe 1:11  Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. 

1Pe 1:12  Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into. 

'Our souls under the reins of the spirit.'

'Believers should seek to experience oneness of spirit and soul. Were we to allow the cross and the Holy Spirit to operate thoroughly in us we would discover that what the soul has relinquished is scarcely a fraction of what it ultimately gains: the dead has now come into fruition, the lost is now kept for eternal life. When our soul is brought under the reins of the spirit it undergoes an immense change. Beforehand it seems to be useless and lost to God because it is employed for self and often moves independently; afterwards God gains our soul, though to man it may appear to be crushed. We become as “those who have faith and keep their souls” (Heb. 10.39). This is much more profound than what we commonly term “saved,” because it points especially to life.'  Watchman Nee- The Spiritual Man

Heb 10:36  For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 

Heb 10:37  For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. 

Heb 10:38  Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 

Heb 10:39  But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. 

1Pe 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 

1Pe 1:4  To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 

1Pe 1:5  Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 

1Pe 1:6  Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 

1Pe 1:7  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 

1Pe 1:8  Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 

1Pe 1:9  Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. 

1Pe 1:10  Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: 

1Pe 1:11  Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. 

1Pe 1:12  Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into. 

More in-depth study on all this tomorrow, by the grace of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.